Page 32 of Oracle
I couldn’t watch us fall apart with the deaths of the previous council and Satan’s war at our doorstep, but I had thought the moment Kira had woken up that she would have taken over the role with ease. It was within her to be the leader we needed and she had the perfect balance of humility and strength. She would think with her heart, not with her ego. A perfect fit for us in these hard times.
So then why did it seem like she was dodging all opportunities to be our prophetess…to be the leader we all knew she was born to be? Perhaps I needed to push my little mate’s buttons to get her to admit why she was hiding in this shell and in order to do that, I needed to stop sidelining myself with the task that was hers to fulfill.
We formed a circle around Kira as all seven of her mates came together. A cocky smirk pulled at Jameson’s lips as he glanced between her and Luca. “Of course, darling.”
“Oh, fucking shove it, Jameson,” Luca snarled, taking a step towards him with hands balled into fists, like they were about to settle whatever their pissing contest had been for years. They had never liked each other to my knowledge, always butting heads even before they both fell in love with the same woman.
Oh, young pups and their fragile egos.
Sighing heavily, I took on the role I didn’t like to pull often with the pack due to it making me feel damn old. Putting on a burst of speed, I pulled Kira out of the way before placing a hand on their chest, pushing them back before they could reach each other. “Stop this! Did you both forget we are at war with so much on the line?”
They remained silent, still locking eyes with each other and breathing heavily.
Fucking hell, I wasn’t sure if my alpha pull would work on them anymore with Kira at the top of my pack, but I’d try. Pulling my wolf forward, I knew my eyes would be glowing gold as I snarled my command, “Stand down. Now,” as I looked between them, channeling all of my power into those three words.
They didn’t react as quickly as they did with Kira, but they did eventually relax and step back, heads down like they were ashamed. As they should be.
Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and thanked my wolf for his assistance before he returned back to the center of my chest. When I opened my eyes, I spun around slowly, looking at each of the men that were chosen as her mate alongside me.
“You are good, strong shifters,” I started. “The Goddess chose well to provide our mate with those who would stand by her side and literally go through hell with their heads held high.” Looking past our circle, I saw the eyes of many on us. “But look around at all who are watching this juvenile pissing contest and think to yourself, is this how we as an extension of our mate should be portrayed?”
Glancing at Kira to ensure she was okay with this, I found her eyes full of sadness, yet she nodded at me to continue.
“Grow the hell up and set a good example of a shifter who is deserving of their mate and seat on the council,” I advised, leaving the stern talk at that and walking to Kira. Gently grabbing her elbow, I brushed the lone tear that began to fall from her eye and kissed the same spot. “Don’t cry, Angel. They just need to be reminded of how a leader should act. They are young and will grow.”
Sniffles came from her before she looked at me and admitted, “I hate when they argue. What if I’m not here one day and then all you guys will have is each other?”
“Angel,” I whispered, hating the words spilling from her lips. “We would die before we let anything happen to you.” Cupping her face in my hands, I brushed my thumbs across her cheeks before kissing her tenderly. Pulling away, I asked, “You know that, right? This life wouldn’t be worth living without you anymore.”
She sucked her bottom lip between her teeth, biting down hard, seemingly trying to hold back the tears further. There was something more to this, but I wouldn’t push her on it while we were in such a public forum. This was a moment reserved for intimacy and the safety of only being surrounded by those who would hold her heart in their palms with compassion.
We needed to get on our way before we lost too much precious daylight for our travels. It was infinitely more dangerous to be out at night.
I could hear the guys chattering at our backs, but knew I needed to help Kira pull her mental state together so she could properly lead the wolves into battle. This was the moment we needed her to step into her role and provide the confidence the shifters desperately needed. We were all well-versed with how the Shadow War almost wiped our species out almost six hundred years ago, and word had begun to spread that Satan was back and ready for retribution once more.
It was a heavy burden to bear, but she needed to be our light and I knew she could do it.
“Angel, listen to me," I softly demanded, raising her chin up before dropping my hands to rub her arms, knowing the chill was likely getting to her as it was snowing lightly on us. We’d need to shift soon to bear the winter weather. “Take a deep breath and close your eyes.”
She did as I asked, giving me a moment to take in her beauty unashamedly. I got lost in her delicate features until she popped one eye open and jostled me from it, “What now?”
Chuckling at her impatience, I instructed, “Eyes closed.” When she did as I asked and kept them closed, I saw the rise and fall of her chest steadying, signaling she was in the right headspace now, I continued. “Picture the future you imagine for not just us, but for every shifter in the world.”
Giving her a few minutes, I recognized her face going through an array of emotions, despite her eyes being closed. It started with initial sadness, changing to anger, and then landing on determination. It was all so clear by the moving of her eyebrows and the firmness of her mouth morphing alongside the lines of her clenched eyelids.
When the creases of her concern faded, replaced by a confident, calm demeanor, I requested, “Now picture it burning. Picture that future ripped away.”
At first, she whimpered so softly I almost missed it, even with our enhanced hearing. She’s afraid of what she saw after my command, and my first instinct was to take her into my arms, but I stopped as her features changed one more time.
Her eyes popped open, now blazing a bright sapphire, her wolf blaring through as she snarled, “No. I won’t allow that to happen.”
We stood there in silence as her breathing hiked up a notch, her anger at the thought riling her as she turned to look at all those gathered around us, looking to her for the signal to make our first move in truly beginning this war.
Lifting her chin, she inhaled deeply before announcing, “We are beginning our journey to claiming our freedom forever. We are shifters and we were born to be wild and to run in the light of the moon, not to cower in the shadows of fear. Let us run with our heads held high, knowing this ends now.”
You could hear only the breathing of those around us, no one speaking or moving.
And then a rippling of shifts moved through the masses until everyone was in wolf form besides Kira and her mates, lifting their heads and howling. Chills spread over my body at the sound.
